The Bogue Chitto Volunteer Fire Department got a littlesomething white for Christmas in the form of a new fire truck.

The $132,661 truck arrived Tuesday and should be in service byat least Friday, said Sedgie Mercier, Bogue Chitto Volunteer FireDepartment chief. Several pieces of equipment have to be put on thenew vehicle.

“We’re proud to have it, and we’re proud to serve the communitywith the new truck,” Mercier said as volunteer firemen and othersinspected the vehicle at the government complex. “We’ve waited along time to get this new truck.”

Fire officials said the new truck is the first white one for acounty volunteer fire department. Mercier said visibility was themain reason for the color.

“We do a lot of work on the interstate, and we wanted somethingpeople would be able to see,” he said. “And, we wanted to dosomething a little different in the county.”

The Class A pumper truck, built by Ferrara FirefightingApparatus, has a 1,000 gallon tank. Depending on the type of nozzleused and the source of water, such a pond or a separate watertruck, it is capable of pumping 1,250 gallons a minute, saidClifford Galey, president of the Lincoln County VolunteerFirefighters Association.

With the new truck, the Bogue Chitto department will have twoClass A pumpers. The department is selling two old trucks and willbuy a new water truck, Mercier said.

The new fire truck purchase was funded in part with a $50,000grant from the state Rural Fire Truck Assistance Program. BogueChitto is the fourth Lincoln County department to purchase a truckusing a grant, with the others being Ruth, Zetus and Loyd Star.

For a while, Galey indicated Bogue Chitto’s truck could be thelast to be able to use a grant for a truck purchase. With thestate’s tight budget picture, he was uncertain if the legislaturewould appropriate any funds for the truck program.

“We’re hoping they will, and we’re lobbying our legislators tolet them know how much we need it,” Galey said. “It’s the only waywe can afford to buy a truck.”

Mercier said the Bogue Chitto department was able to pay $20,000down in addition to the state grant. The remaining $62,661 has beenfinanced over a 10-year period and notes must be paid fromdepartment funds and fund-raising efforts.

Mercier said he appreciated the Bogue Chitto community and thepeople’s support of the fire department.

“Without their help, we couldn’t do it,” Mercier said.